The Word - Jan. 31, 2012 - MARVELOUS GRACE

"For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works lest anyone should boast" (Ephesians 2: 8-9).

The words of an old hymn have captivated my mind this morning. Do you remember....it has been such a long time since singing it in church; "Marvelous grace of our loving Lord. Grace that exceeds our sin and our guilt, Yonder on Calvary's mount out-poured, there the blood of the Lamb was spilt."

Marvelous grace! To think that the Lord of heaven came down to earth and took upon Himself, upon God, something He never did before; that was becoming part of humanity.

It is beyond amazing. It is marvelous! Nothing like that ever before in the history of the universe; God taking on Himself the form and nature of man!

But what really is astounding is that God in a body of flesh went to the cross of Calvary and died. That man hanging suspended on the cross, bound by nails in His feet and hands was God. Amazing! In fact, I believe it must be a thought beyond all thought. Probably the greatest thought that has ever entered the human mind.

He didn't have to do it! He could have just brushed us off the table into hell! But in marvelous grace He decided to die for us anonymous nobodies, because that is exactly what we were.You know, the Lord Jesus was the only person in the entire universe who was qualified to be our Savior. He had to be God; He had to be man. He had to be willing.

Someone has said, "You'll never appreciate Calvary, until it takes your breath away and becomes the most important truth in your life." Dear friends, get yourself in that equation, because He died for you. He died for me. The truth of what He did for us should leave us speechless. It strains the mind. Nothing could ever be as important as this.

"Love so amazing so divine, demands our heart, our life, our all!"